


Lunar Eclipse

by NotYourDamsel



Category: Naruto, 陈情令 | The Untamed (TV), 魔道祖师 - 墨香铜臭 | Módào Zǔshī - Mòxiāng Tóngxiù
Genre: AU - alternate universe, AU of an AU, Alcohol, Also WWX, Canon Divergence, Chakra (Naruto), Cultivation Sect Politics (Módào Zǔshī), Demonic Cultivation (Módào Zǔshī), F/F, F/M, JIANG YANLI BEST SHIJIE, JZX: How Do You Express Emotions, Jiang-Anger-Is-My-Only-Emotion-Cheng, M/M, Mianmian: You Idiot, More tags to be added, No Beta We Die Like Kei And WWX, No It’s Not WWX, Pseudo magic, Reincarnation, Team Minato - Freeform, WWX’s Hero Tendencies, YZY and JFM’s A+ Parenting, let jc be happy, main character dies, universe hopping, wangxian.mp3 on repeat
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-08
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-14 01:22:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29288259
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NotYourDamsel/pseuds/NotYourDamsel
Summary: Summary: Getting stabbed in the chest when you’re emotionally, physically and mentally drained isn’t fun, especially when you’ve just fought an enemy way above your level that just. Won’t. Die.Getting reborn in a world where swords can fly (which is cool but what) and zombies are apparently real, with a tyrant group of spiritual bastards reigning supreme? Yeah, no. Kei’s had enough action to last for a lifetime.(Unfortunately for her, the universe doesn’t give a shit about her feelings and throws her headfirst into the Plot of a story she hasn’t even heard about. Joy)Or, the Dig Two Graves and Catch Your Breath spinoff Lang gave permission for me to write, and I proceed to derail canon via Kei’s sole wish to not have her loved ones die or get hurt.
Relationships: Jiang Cheng/Gekko Keisuke, Jiang Cheng/Original Female Character, Jiāng Yànlí/Jīn Zǐxuān, Lan Zhan | Lan Wangji/ Wei Ying | Wei Wuxian
Comments: 8
Kudos: 44





	Lunar Eclipse

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Catch Your Breath](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1893351) by [Liangnui](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Liangnui/pseuds/Liangnui). 



> Disclaimer: Does Jin Ling get to know about his not-dead uncle and how much the YunmengJiang siblings loved each other so much? About how his parents didn't die because of him? Is Nie Mingjue alive? No? Well, you have your answer.
> 
> Gekkō Keisuke is not mine and Lang Noi (Liangnui) made her, as well as any other references alluding to her misadventures in Catch Your Breath. To understand this story (and inside jokes), I suggest you read Catch Your Breath first until the battle with Orochimaru in Sorayama.

Fighting Orochimaru was _impossible_.

Not only because he was a Sannin who had learned numerous high-grade justus he can use with a single handsign, or because he's a master of seals and a renowned genius, but because he just can't seem to take a hint from his grievous wounds and stay _dead_.

 **Like you're one to talk,** sniffed Isobu, who was basically the sole reason why Kei was still standing and functioning properly enough to fight. And keeping her from dying from blood loss. **You're nearing your limit, by the way. If I pump more of my chakra into you, you'll die.**

 _Gotcha,_ Kei answered, dodging a wind jutsu that could probably cut her into tiny strings like Swiss cheese. _How much time do I have left?_

 **Fifteen minutes, give or take.** In her mind's eye, Isobu made a gesture that would've been a shrug if he had shoulders to move. **Not one more, and that's already pushing it. You'll need to end this battle quickly.**

 _What do you think I've been trying to do?_ Was Kei's dry remark, handsigns blurring for her to let out a blast of water from her mouth to give Kakashi some purchase with his umpteenth Chidori. Rin was going to _so_ kill them when they get back. And they _will_ get back, because Kei needs to speak some _words_ to Sensei about letting her know about things that would impact her life.

_Orochimaru's a sneaky bastard. A very strong, S-Rank mad scientist who's shedding bodies like it's going out of season!_

Isobu didn't deign her a response other that lowering in his pool, not cowed but bored, but the steady adrenaline she was getting from his chakra spoke volumes about how much he agreed with her statement.

It took a while, but they were managing to hold themselves well while waiting for reinforcements. And then the motherfucker _bit her_.

 _Oh, no,_ Kei hissed, jumping away from Orochimaru's _everything_ and clutching her shoulder in both shock and fear. _I am_ _ **not**_ _going to carry around a part of his soul like some fucking Horcrux. Fuck no._

 **What are you going to do about it?** Isobu asked, tails whipping around in agitation like a particularly large and deadly cat. He was eyeing the formation of Orochimaru's body in their shared mindspace with every inch of hatred in his being, which was a lot of inches for his size. **It's not like we have a Basilisk fang lying around here, and you can't very well ask your Uchiha friend to set you on fire.**

 _Yeah, no,_ Kei grimaced, her mental avatar warily stepping away from the now-half done image of the Snake Sannin. _Obito wouldn't do that. It probably won't even work with my regeneration abilities, and Amaterasu would have a better chance of burning this shit._

 **Then what's your plan?** Isobu was getting irritated, lone eye staring at the intruder with the intent to kill. In as much as you can kill and fragment of someone's soul, that is. **Wait for your mess of a teacher to seal it away for you?**

 _No time,_ Kei cursed, leaping and ducking underneath Orochimaru's relentless onslaught. Fuck, she lost sight of Kakashi. _He could hijack my body and force me to fight Kakashi, something I'm sure he won't be able to do seeing as we're teammates and he hasn't really fought me in V1 cloak, never mind the V2 cloak._

 **What are we going to do?** Orochimaru's body was slowly becoming complete. _**Kei!**_

Kei bit her lower lip. _I have an idea, but it's a very risky one and will highly get me screamed at when all this is done._

**And? What is it?**

_Well…_

Kei can't really say she regretted overloading her shoulder with potent chakra. She'd rather die than be used as an instrument for her family's demise. But now she's tired in a whole new level, and there's a glint of _something_ behind Sensei, so she pushed him away and—

_**KEI!** _

—there's a sword in her chest.

At that, her vision darkened, and her battered body fell limp despite Kakashi and Kushina shouting for her.

* * *

Gekkō Keisuke had died, this she knew.

So why, pray tell, was she still alive and breathing?

_Again?_

"A-Yue! Come, now!" Called her mother in this life, an average-looking woman in her early thirties with her hair up in a bun. "You'll get lost if you wander around. Here, hold _mama_ 's hand."

"Yes, _mama_ ," Kei—A-Yue now, which was weird because she went from Japanese to Chinese. Which was also weird, but not nothing she can't adapt to. The titles and honorifics were a bit of a tongue twister though. Dutifully holding her parent's hand, Kei assisted her mother with the groceries as she patiently taught her how to look for bruises and haggle while introducing her to the friendly vendors and at the same time whispering to her to watch out for the greedy ones.

Let it be said that Chang Fangbao was a taskmaster, and Kei was more than happy to comply and remember her many lessons dotted with anecdotes to keep her attention.

The place where they lived was a traveler's town: filled to the brim with inns and stalls full of food and complete with goods one may need, ranging from talismans (similar to seals, but not quite) to a spare robe sewn with a _qiankun pouch_. When Kei gathers enough silver, she was most definitely going to buy at least three of those storage seal-clothes. And find a way to duplicate her other seals once she gets her hands on some ink and suitable paper.

After she finds out what's happening to her chakra, first. Or was it called _qi_ now?

Spiritual energy was still the same no matter where one went, but there was the slightest of changes in her chakra network. The current flowing through her veins felt… _off_. Not really alarming, no, but different in a way she would notice it.

Maybe she was just used having Isbou's chakra covering her chakra like a second skin.

 _God_ , she missed his snarky remarks.

The reminder of her tenant's absence stung, but she'd already cried and mourned the people she left behind when she was a baby (and terrifying her just-parents. Pity that they were newlyweds and had zero experience dealing with babies), so she pushed that thought away and focused on the present.

In this life, she could live simply as a civilian with no responsibilities and dying younger brothers or future megalomaniac teammates to make her fear for the future, but in no way was she going to be defenseless. Not with all the ghosts and fierce corpses (aka _zombies_ , like what) lumbering around.

The knowledge that zombies and ghosts are apparently real were only followed by the fact that there were sects—like clans, but not of blood—who hunt said beings as a job. Cultivators, they call themselves (what do they cultivate? Their chak—qi?), with the QuishanWen Sect as the one on the top. The others were named after their respective places: GusuLan, QingheNie, YunmengJiang, and LanlingJin.

There were other sects as well, small and virtually normal compared to their more powerful and richer counterparts. Rouge cultivators, cultivators with no sect, were also abundant. And that was only some of the things Kei heard from serving the travelers, merchants, and the rare cultivator in the family inn her father owned. It was a pleasant business with a steady stream of customers, and Kei was… not really content, but she did appreciate the stability her family's livelihood provided her. Not needing to run from place to place for missions was a nice change.

While she was still five, her mother had already started to teach her the various characters in the Chinese language, and while she may have some advantage with her adult mind and past experience, memorizing different strokes and connotations made her brain feel like mush at the end of these lessons.

Tea preparation, manners and etiquette were also drilled in her mind. As well as some basic self-defense moves her father deemed her to need. Seeing as he was the proud owner of an establishment where people fight around when tensions are high and the liquor was too much, Kei isn't surprised and accepted _these_ lessons with a vigor Gai would've cried at screaming, "Youth!" at the top of his lungs.

It was also the lessons where she soundly beat her father's ass. Multiple times

So maybe she should've held back, but she can't help her reflexes and battle-hardened instinct to lash out at any opponent's movement. Her father was lucky enough not to get a concussion. And she might've gotten a bit antsy at the lack of anything to occupy her time. Calligraphy was all well and nice, as was reading books, but energy hummed underneath her skin and she was child with far too much stamina to be held inside all day.

After realizing that he can't teach her anything she doesn't know, he handed the training over to his brother, Chang Guiying, who was a former rouge cultivator and a stern man who feeds kittens and stray dogs when outside.

Kei should know, she feeds the same kittens and dogs on afternoons.

Her bóbotrained her similarly to Gai, just not as intense. He gave her a training regime he expected her to follow even when he wasn't present, corrected her posture with a light tap of his wooden pole, gave her enough rest before telling her to finish her laps, and treated her to confectionaries when they reached a milestone.

All in all, he was kind man with a penchant to mess her hair, but that was nothing new to Kei.

Today, after they completed doing their groceries, they were planning to prepare some of Kei's favorite Chinese dishes for her birthday tomorrow. Usually, they'd celebrate on the day itself, but tomorrow they were going on a trip to Lanling for a much needed family vacation, and Kei was honestly excited at the prospect of going to a new place.

It was around eight when the screams started, and Kei was hunkering down for bed.

Wide-eyed, she peeked from behind the curtains in her bedroom's window, and startled when her door slid open before she even got a glimpse of what was happening outside.

Chang Guanyu regarded her with a harried face that crumpled into relief when he caught sight of her, and he hustled her towards the basement underneath the kitchen storage.

"Baba?" He shushed her, smoothening her loose hair and pressing a kiss on the crown of her head.

Kei didn't like where this was going.

"You'll be safe here, A-Yue," he whispered, sotto voice and with an undertone of regret Kei hated. "Babawill just look for mamaand we'll join you soon. So be quiet and wait for us, okay? There are some snacks to stave away your hunger, and I think some of your old toys are here, too."

Kei said nothing. She didn't ask him to stay, or to promise her not to die. She knows he won't not leave, the same look Obito got in his eyes when talking about Rin was on her father's face now, and he'll either die with his wife or survive.

She tried not to think about her uncle who was staying over for her birthday, and how he's most likely fighting whoever was in their village right now.

She was too weak to be of any help, years of being a trained mercenary aside, and it's unlikely that they'd let her help either way. She could probably sneak around and knock out some of the unsuspecting ones, but there was still the risk of them being cultivators and her being captured and tortured for information or amusement was the worst case scenario after being killed.

Kei did not fancy being killed so soon, third chance or not.

"Okay," she answered, and kissed his cheek in return. "Love you, baba."

Tears shone in his dark eyes, and he _knows_ what she knows, and he pressed their foreheads together as she lovingly responded, "And I love you too, more than the stars combined."

With that final farewell, he shut the basement hatch with a _click_ , and the sound of something being moved to cover it was heard.

With nothing but a candle and her old stuffed bunny to keep her company, Kei stewed in her thoughts and wept.

* * *

Lan Qiren wanted to curse the Wens and more, but cursing will do nothing about the lives lost so her merely sighed and rubbed his temples.

Reports say that a high-ranking Wen soldier had taken offense to one of the innkeepers not having any spare rooms for him, and a rogue cultivator had stood up to defend the host. Angered, the Wen and his fellow men started to devastate the quaint town, and not all was spared.

The only reason Lan Qiren was here was due to the fact that a few disciples on a night hunt had seen the wreckage and sent a message for help. Other than assisting the victims, he had no other business in retaliating against the Wens.

Still, it grated his nerves, and only took a moment to thank the Gods above that Cangse Sanren was not here to witness the destruction. Heaven knows what that unruly woman would do in a fit of anger.

"Lan-shufu! A child was found hiding in a basement! She seems to be injured and…" the young disciple looked a little green around the gills, and Lan Qiren gave him a minute to gather himself. "…there's a body with her, we've confirmed him to be a Wen."

Eyebrows furrowed, Lan Qiren gestured the disciple to lead him to where she was, and was greeted with the sight of a small girl around his nephews age huddled in a blanket a nearby Lan had given her. Her short, black hair was mussed, and her equally dark eyes were dull. Paired with her night clothes and deep bags underneath her eyes, she looked like someone who hasn't gotten any amount of sleep.

The scar across her face and the bloody knife in her hand, however, told another story.

"How is she?" He asked a doctor he'd brought with him in case of injuries. The doctor in charge shook her head, frowning in clear worry. "She hasn't spoken since we let her out. It's possible she's in shock or is still processing what happened. When we asked what happened, she said…"

( _"I killed him,"_ was the quiet statement. Her face was flat, almost expressionless, as she repeated, _"Bóbo_ _taught me where to stab to kill him, so I did."_ )

Tamping down the sigh building up in his throat, he chanced a glance to the girl in question and his gut twisted at the thought of Lan Wangji or Lan Xichen resembling like that.

"Her family?"

Another shake of the head. "All deceased from what I managed to glean. Her parents were thought to be the couple a few streets over to the right, while who seemed to be her uncle was surrounded by a circle of slain Wen soldiers. He's supposedly a cultivator, if his _jian_ was any confirmation."

It made sense for her uncle to teach her how to defend herself, then, if he was a rogue cultivator. Since she was a girl, all the more prudent for her to know how to fend off any unwanted people.

He looks at her again, sees her not inching from her hunched position, and makes a decision he's surprised to even do.

"Take her back with us," he said, and only because he's looking at her did he notice the way her ears perked up. "We'll take her in if no one can. She can live with the other children in the sect."

Maybe it's because he's an uncle of two children, both of which had just lost their mother. Maybe it's because he's gotten soft from raising his fool of a brother's sons. Regardless of those reasons, Lan Qiren can't find himself opposing his own thoughts and approached the soon-to-be newest Lan.

She lifted her head, slightly to meet his steady gaze, and Lan Qiren is relieved to see a bit of shine back in her eyes.

"…why?" A simple question to answer, but Lan Qiren caught what she truly meant underneath it. _Why bother? Why risk the Wens' ire?_ So he turned over his answer in his head, and said, "Because I can help, and am sentimental."

A briefly confused expression flitted over her face before it's erased with a mask void of emotion. Lan Qiren didn't say anything and instead held out a hand for her to take.

Hesitant, she watched him for any sudden movements, and gradually placed her (tiny, were children's hands always this small?) hand on his, splattered with blood but he paid no mind to that.

Softening his features, he helped her up her feet, and walked her out of the town which was once her home.

* * *

Sadly, they did not fly on their swords in order not to scare their midget passenger.

Kei would've felt disappointed at this, but she was still reeling from the massacre of her village and the subsequent loss of her family, so she simply buried her face in the man's (Lan-Something-or-the-Other) shoulder and resisted the urge to bawl her eyes out.

She'd already cried a river beside a cooling body, she'll cry again when she's alone.

The journey to Gusu was quiet, broken only by quiet murmurs and breaks in between. Some had attempted to talk to her, and she sometimes nodded or grunted in turn, but ultimately didn't say anything word wise.

When they did reach Gusu, she took note of the mountains and silent atmosphere, and decided then and there that she'll be able to do some meditation at last.

"This is where you'll be staying," Lan-something-ren said, showing her a room where four other kids can be seen sitting around. All were girls and wearing white robes with hints of blue and white forehead ribbons. Uniform?

"Everyone," he started, and all four girls stood up in attention. On was holding her blanket, and by the minute twitch on the older Lan's mouth, he noticed it as well. "Today, you will be joined by…" he trailed off, just now noticing that he had not learned the name of his new ward, and looked at her in slight embarrassment and silent askance.

"…mama called me A-Yue. I haven't been given my courtesy name."

Lan the Older's lips pursed, and he gently offered, "We can think of a name for you to use later on in the library after lunch."

Nodding, and bowing after a moment's pause, she thanked him, "Thank you, Lan-shufu."

That done, he continued to introduce her to her newest roommates, and she resigned herself to putting up with them until she's old enough to have her own room.

Names were spoken, but Kei's mind was muddled still and she just wanted to sleep. Perhaps recognizing her face as one of a person in desperate need of rest, he called the others outside for an impromptu lesson (something about a _guqin_?) and bid her a good rest.

Kei didn't expect more than a few hours, but didn't say anything and waved them goodbye.

* * *

She wakes up when night was nearing, heaving deep breaths as sweat beaded her face.

The last thing she remembered was seeing her brother's body amongst the corpses of her family here, and she swallowed to wet her suddenly dry throat.

Feeling her empty stomach make its displeasure known, she exits the immaculate room after folding her covers and ventures in her new living place.

(She won't call it home. Not yet)

The halls were a dark wood with white walls, some round windows can be seen with paper sliding doors framed with the same wood as the floor not unlike the _shoji_ doors in Konoha. Faint pictures and tapestries are hung here and there, depicting some god or cultivator Kei can't be bothered to remember or find out, and she's making no progress at finding the kitchen or even a single soul.

Murmuring something incoherent about spirits and Kakashi's dogs, she stretched her senses and hummed when she finally felt someone.

Sensing was still a universal concept in this side of the world, but the energy she was feeling was a tad strange. Most were faint and non-existent, and she had almost panicked when she couldn't feel her mother when she tested it at three years old, while some were marginally bright. From what little she could recall from her uncle's crash course about cultivators and their abilities, what she was sensing was their golden cores, also known as the source of their spiritual energy. And the golden cores she was sensing right now was one not unlike a steady waterfall alongside other smaller golden cores.

Following it, she finds herself in a classroom where the four girls were kneeling behind stringed instruments, with the Lan who had guided her at the front, watching them with a keen eye.

 _Definitely a teacher_ , she thought. Outwardly, she slid open the door and bowed, "Good evening, Lan-shufu."

Turning his head to the side, he inclined his head in acknowledgement and greeted, "Good evening to you too, Lan Yue."

 _Lan Yue_ , as if she wasn't Chang Yue just a moment ago. But she can't find the energy to feel resentful at him, so she only straightened from her bow and looked questioningly at the instruments.

Seeing her curiosity, Lan-shufu answered, "They are studying a simple song to get them used to the guqin. Our sect specializes in musical cultivation, which is the use of instruments to fend off evil spirits and call on departed souls. You will be expected to learn at your own pace, but not until you settle down."

Taking it all in, Kei nodded. Musical instruments weapons, now she's seen everything. Granted, there was that one character in Naruto (Tayuya? Tazuya?) who used a flute to disorient her opponents, but that was another story. In more ways than one.

After the lesson was done, she greeted her fellow classmates(?) and received bows back. And for the life of her (all three lives, in fact), she can't remember any of their names.

Taking a stab in the dark, she said, "Hello, shijies."

A few flushed at the title, while one even smiled. Another replied, "Hello, shimei." Cute.

Lan-shufu looked pleased, and announced that it was near dinner and ushered them towards the dining area.

Long tables with sets of food consisting of bowls of soup and some greens can be seen once they entered, chopsticks laid neatly at the side with cups of tea. Disciples in white were sitting all in neat rows, and Kei is jarred by the lack of friendly roughhousing and heckling. It seems that the place isn't the only thing that's silent.

After bowing and giving thanks to the food, Kei took a bite and immediately bit the inside of her cheek to not scrunch up her face at the bitterness.

While not picky, Kei wasn't a fan of bitter food. But judging by the lack of reactions, either this wasn't new to them or all of their meals always tasted like this.

Once again resigning to her fate, Kei ate her food without complaints.

Thus starts her life as Lan Yue.

* * *

"Lan Huangli."

It took a moment for the child to look up, still not used in having a courtesy name, and Lan Qiren didn't blame her.

She was a person of few words, face blank and reminding him eerily of Lan Wangji. Her grasp in characters and reading were skillful, though she would interchange a few meanings here and there, and her education about the Lan Sect's history was going along well. Her playing of the guqin was slow, but understandable considering that she had just started over a week ago. They wouldn't be teaching the children on how to wield a a true sword until they were preteens, but her ease over the stretches given to her spoke of her uncle's hand.

Overall, she was well ahead of her peers in both academics and physical training. All that's left was to hone her ability of Musical Cultivation and convince her to memorize the three thousand rules of the sect. Daunting for a six year old, yes, but not impossible.

"Yes, Lan-shufu?" She asked, closing a bound book pertaining about spiritual creatures like a _xuanwu_. Her back only had the slightest of a slouch, mostly from her sitting during an unknown amount of time. Even so, Lan Qiren raised a brow and Lan Huangli complied, fixing her posture with nary a complaint.

"Follow me," he said, already turning around and walking away. While not a sound was heard, Lan Qiren was sure that she was trailing behind him. One of the mysteries of the newest disciple was her skill to not make a sound no matter how fast she walked or moved. Lan Qiren had chalked it off as another teaching her uncle gave her to sneak around, and left it at that.

Like most happenings in the Lan Sect, the walk was silent, but not uncomfortable. At first, Lan Qiren was troubled at the thought of the child being jarred by the complete serenity that encompassed the sect, but his worries were unfounded when she looked completely at ease. He even caught her meditating once, something he approved of greatly.

They soon reached a room that doubled as a study and a library. In it was a young boy smiling serenely at a stray robin that had landed on his desk, the scene looking like something artists would paint.

Hearing their approach, he looked up and stood before bowing.

"Good morning, Uncle, Lan Huangli."

They returned the bows and greetings, before seating themselves across him.

Lan Xichen was as impeccable as ever, and Lan Qiren felt a surge of pride well up inside him. Though he was young, he followed his teachings and executed them to the best of his abilities, always ready to lend a helping hand and ever gentle. He would make a fine sect leader when's he's all grown up.

Lan Wangji, on the other hand…

"Where is your brother?" Asked Lan Qiren, though he already knew where he was. Most likely waiting for their mother, foolish boy that he was.

Lan Xichen's smile faltered momentarily, and he answered, "He's still over at mother's place. I tried to cajole him into coming with me, but he refused."

Rubbing his beard, Lan Qiren stood up. "I'll bring him here. Lan Xichen, why don't you teach Lan Huangli about the sect rules while you wait? I won't be long."

For a moment, Lan Qiren thought he saw Lan Huangli look up at the ceiling in a long suffering manner, but then he blinked and she was looking out of the window with a placid expression.

Meeting Lan Xichen's eyes, he nodded and left.

While the two haven't really met other than the rare moments of having the same classes and meeting each other in the hallways, Lan Qiren wasn't worried about them not getting along. Lan Xichen was likeable and patient, both qualities that enabled him to connect with others easily. And while Lan Huangli preferred actions over words, Lan Qiren had seen her kindness when she helped a classmate tend her injury and carry her to the infirmary.

Satisfied with his self-observation, he left.

* * *

Lan Xichen had heard about Lan Huangli. It was hard not to, and thus was not counted as gossiping.

She was a quiet one, but in a way that was different from his _didi_. While Wangji was quiet by nature, with minuscule micro-expressions a trained eye can only hope to decipher, Lan Huangli was quiet by choice and controlled the emotions plastered on her face. He could see from the way her eye twitched at the prospect of learning the sect rules, and marveled at the quick rebellious act she made and then smoothly transitioning into the perfect model student.

How amusing.

"Huangli-shimei," he greeted, and dark eyes meet his lighter ones. He tried for a smile, and received a less frostier face in reward for his efforts. "May I know from which part of the rules are you already at?"

There's a beat of silence, in which her eyes glaze momentarily in thought, before she answered, " _Be a fillial child_." Ah, so she was already nearing a thousand? Better than he thought, from what he saw in her reluctance.

"I see. I believe it will be more beneficial for the both of us if I recited the following rules, if you do not mind?" Receiving a negative, he straightened his body to speak comfortably and listed off without preamble as she took ahold one of the hanging calligraphy brushes on the stand, " _Organize work properly. Diligence is the root. Morality is the priority. Harmony is the value. Learning comes first. Do not take your own words lightly. Do not act impulsively…_ " and they continued like that until nearly a Shi Chen before Uncle came back with a despondent Wangji.

The former's face was furious, with an air of resignation. While his little brother—his soft-hearted, innocent and kind A-Zhan—looked like a fresh batch of tears would soon pour from his shining, amber eyes.

Frowning at his brother's demeanor, he quickly shoved down whatever unwanted thoughts he had towards Uncle ( _Do not disrespect the elder_ , rang in his mind) and instead gave Wangji a warm smile, one devoid of any judgement nor blame.

"I see you've progressed greatly, Lan Huangli," started Uncle, as if his own nephew wasn't struggling to burst right then and there ( _Do not express excess emotions. Do not make noise. Do not be miserly—_ ). Lan Xichen showed no outward sign of his anger (— _Do not succumb to rage_ —) other than his hands grasping on his clothes and white knuckles. "Perhaps I should let you continue your studies with the company of Lan Xichen and Lan Wangji."

At that, all three Lan disciples perked up. Even somber Lan Wangji looked more alive than before.

"Uncle?" "Lan-shufu?"

Sharing a bewildered look at their chanced coincidence, Lan Huangli inclined her head and Lan Xichen inquired, "Uncle, does this mean she will also undergo our schooling schedule?" While Lan Xichen had heard that she was hailed as the next prodigy after him and his brother, he was still wary of letting someone (regardless that they were the same age) advance so quickly without proper experience and adjustment. It would be poor of them if Lan Huangli were to have a mishap due to their irresponsibility.

Uncle stroked his beard, turning his words under and over in contemplation. Wangji was still looking at Uncle with bewildered, hopeful(?) eyes.

 _Oh_ , he can't help but thought. _He's lonely_.

The admission, though it was only to himself, stung. He had been used to being the one Wangji sought out, used to being the one to calm his fears and assuage his worries.

 _But this is good for him_ , he convinces himself to see beyond the envy and turned to where Lan Huangli was speechless, looking both gratified and confused at once. Recalling her situation which led her here, all vestiges of jealousy died and a harsh flare of protectiveness surged in place. _And for her as well. She's too withdrawn to connect with her peers._

While the seventh rule dictated that female disciples shouldn't be bothered, befriending her could hardly be called as bothering unless she said otherwise, right?

"She will be fine," Uncle's voice snapped him out of his thoughts as suddenly as lightning, and from the slight jerk Lan Huangli's knee made, her too. Wangji was as still as a statue, but Lan Xichen has never seen him as animated like this before. "She will flourish, even, from both of your presence. You could teach her the guqin whilst Lan Xichen guides her through the sect rules, Lan Wangji," he directed the conversation to a Wangji, who looked as if he'd been caught petting the rabbits in the back mountains. How he broke through the barrier, Lan Xichen would never know. But if it made him happy, Lan Xichen can break a few rules.

"Is this alright with you, Lan Huangli?"

Wangji's and his heads snapped towards where the aforementioned girl sat, and Lan Xichen hoped he was successful in conveying his thoughts about this arrangement wordlessly. In the corners of his eyes, he could see the cautious expectations dancing in Wangji's dry eyes, and felt his need to befriend Lan Huangli soar.

They will be great, even powerful. But most importantly, they will be _happy_.

Pursing her lips, Lan Huangli keeps them in the edge for a few moments, before cupping her hands and bowing to them all in general, "This disciple would be honored to join the Young Masters Lan in their studies, Lan-shufu."

Grinning at Wangji's rare smile, one almost as bright as Mother's during their monthly visits, Lan Xichen had never been so grateful for Uncle's spartan-like attitude towards teaching.

* * *

If Kei was asked, she'd compare the Lans to the Hyuuga Clan. Aloof, straight-faced elites with a vast spiritual prowess and gentlemanly skills in various forms of arts. They even wore white and had long hair to boot.

Lan Xichen was like who Hinata would probably be if older and more secured, while Lan Wangji resembled a quieter, more polite Neji pre-Naruto's Talk no Jutsu. They were both determined to learn whatever Lan-shufu taught them, absorbing information like the sponges they were, and played the guqin with the same level of skill they had with swords.

Wooden swords, yes. But no six to nine year-old could have that much grace and balance!

Which is where they were at now, in one of the empty training grounds of the Cloud Recesses, with their teacher in swordsmanship—one Lan Fanling, a severe-looking man with three diagonal scars on his right cheek (the sight of it made Kei attempt to scratch the edge of where her own facial scar's end would've been, before she abandoned that endeavor)—overseeing their stances and forms.

If the Uesugi's school of teaching favored unleashing charged slashes aimed to maim and decapitate, the GusuLan's sword techniques handled their jians as one would to spun silk: lightly but firmly as to not falter, swiftly but surely. Their mode of attacks relied more on flying slashes but gave forms which served as bases for quick maneuvers in close-ranged combat with quick slips and folds. True, someone might accidentally nick or even stab themselves when they try to pull their jians close to their chest or under their arms, but it was better than letting it hover above the ground where malicious spirits can use it to drag the user down.

While it's known that a cultivator's jian had spirituality, and sometimes, personalities, not everyone is blessed with a golden core strong enough to fight off resentful energy.

"Lan Huangli," was Lan-shifu's (not to be mistaken for the Goatee Lan-shufu, Lan Qiren) reprimand. "Your stance is too wide. Tuck your arms closer to your torso, and don't spread your feet too much."

 _Not my fault I had seventeen years of using a katana_ , Kei thought irritably. Lan Xichen then caught her eye and gave her a patient smile, forcing her to roll her eyes mentally and shift to the proper stance as was told. Nodding, Lan-shifu continued from where he was watching the 'twins' spar, but didn't let her leave out of his sight.

Things would've been normal if it weren't for the abrupt hostile projectile that entered Kei's senses, forcing her to stand in front of Lan Wangji's back and cutting the ammunition with a chakra-sharpened blade by instinct.

By the time the shattered remains of the thrown plate had fallen to the impeccable soil of the training grounds, Kei registered what she'd done and the awed expressions too little, too late.

"As I thought," came a deep bass from somewhere in the inner parts of the buildings' open hallways. Soon enough, a broad-chested Lan who looked as if he'd just come back from a night hunt stepped out of the shadows of a wall, and smiled at Kei. It was not a nice smile. "You were holding yourself back. Tell me, have you always been doing so?"

That was the smile of a cat who saw the canary and the cream, ready to _pounce_.

Gritting her teeth, she didn't bother bowing and answered gruffly, "…yes."

Victorious and smug (unbefitting of a Lan, but Kei could hardly care _less_ about the sect's _stupid_ _ **Commandments**_ —), the Lan continued, "And why, exactly would you stunt your own growth?"

Hastily thinking up of an excuse, she remembered what she knew about the old Asian norms and the way the villagers looked at her then replied, "A woman should serve her father or husband quietly without fail. How could I even think of lifting a blade when only my uncle, who was rogue cultivator, would not allow me to?"

At that, the nosy Lan seemed to sober up (and she didn't notice the crestfallen expression of Lan Xichen's and Lan-shifu's faces, with Lan Wangji almost angry on her behalf), before shaking his head and announcing, "No matter, you are clearly gifted in the way of the sword. It would be scandalous to not hone your talent!"

With an outstretched hand, he declared in a voice Lan-shufu would scold him for, "Allow this teacher, Lan Zhaoyan, to sharpen your skill, Lan Huangli!"

… _there just has to be a Gai in every world, huh?_ Kei thought, recollecting a certain mission which involved going into another dimension and saw a spiky head of red hair. Followed by it was Shinso's sarcastic smile and deep bags, and she felt a pang of sadness at the thought of her not being able to text him anymore. She wondered if anyone told him about her death, and if he tried to attend her funeral without knowing they were a universe away.

(She'll never know about the way Obito's hand shook as he typed out a message to _**Purble**_ , laughing wetly at the nicknames his late teammate gave to each individual, and had to be consoled by Rin before he sent another message to the 1-A students.

She'll never know of Class 1-C's shocked silence, unbelieving that the strong woman who dominated the School Sports Festival and fought numerous battles where she showed her intelligence and power.

She'll never know of Bakugo's explosive protests, of Midoriya's tearful denial, of Yaoyozuru's hand failing to stifle down her sobs, of Todoroki's stunned confusion, and of Aizawa's tired fury and helplessness at losing another student to the world.

She'll never know of Midnight's tears as Present Mic comforted her in the teacher's office, of Ectoplasm silently giving Cementoss a cup of tea to calm himself, of All Might covering his sunken face as Nedzu looked over his school in a stillness that didn't suit him.

She'll never know of Homura's fiery wails, of Shinso's frustrated curses, of dreams of her visiting a safer, better Quirk Japan shattered with one message.

She'll never know of Isobu's traumatic grief, experiencing the death of his first human friend that would scar him for years to come, his cries echoing against his siblings' mindscapes, and by proxy their jinchuurikis'.

She'll never know of her Sensei's gnawing guilt, of Kushina's heartbroken mourning, of Naruto's yells not considering her death to be true, of Hayate's smothered melancholy, of Gai's uncharacteristic solemness beside Kakashi's spiral downwards to deeper depths.

She'll never know of Hayate's growing grudge against the Yondaime, and the bitterness that didn't diminish his grief over losing his sole family left)

Shoving the negative thoughts away, she took Lan Zhaoyan's hand and shook it, a strangely Western practice that somehow eased her nerves. "This disciple looks forward to the knowledge Lan Zhaoyan-shifu will surely impart."

**Author's Note:**

> NYD: I'M DONE! WHOO!
> 
> References and details are taken from Lang's works, words, and fics! Kei travelling to Quirk!Tokyo is another masterpiece of an AU Lang made called Shell Game!


End file.
